A salary cap and possible player points system could be introduced into all local football leagues across Victoria from 2016.
AFL Victoria announced the proposed framework last week to address the rising costs of clubs at a local level.
Under the framework, AFL Victoria is looking at introducing a statewide salary cap, equalisation rules to support the implementation of the salary cap and appropriate enforcement polices.
AFL Victoria general manager Steven Reaper said AFL Victoria wanted to look at introducing this to some leagues as a trial next year before full implementation in 2016.
“It was made very clear at a corresponding conference at the end of last year that the industry had an appetite to tackle this issue,” Reaper said.
“AFL Victoria . . . has examined a range of possible solutions in order to develop a robust and flexible set of guidelines which will seek to halt the escalating cost of player payments and bridge the gap between the ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’ at community level.
“While we understand the concern across all levels of football regarding these issues and the demand for a quick solution, we are committed to developing a considered set of guidelines, and the feedback from league CEOs and region general managers is vital to this approach.”
Reaper said it was clear that a salary cap alone would not work.
“A salary cap needs to be supported by other measures, such as a player points system or an alternative equalisation provision, to have the desired impact on escalating player payments, and must also be enforceable,” he said.
“Provisions such as a player points system already operate in some Victorian leagues and, if implemented statewide, would need to be tailored to individual leagues and/or regions.”
Reaper said guidelines to be trialled in 2015 would be announced before Christmas.
The Essendon District and Northern football leagues said it did not want to comment on the proposal yet.
But Western Region Football League chief executive Bob Tregear said the league supported the framework in principle.
“We haven’t seen the full details of what they’re proposing, but it will be some combination of points system and salary cap,” he said.
“We acknowledge that you won’t be able to enforce it accurately all the way along, but when people are caught cheating it there will be severe penalties.
“We’re willing to trial it, subject to the final detail. We’re willing to be a part of the trial next year.”
